If a traffic accident occurs, the traffic accident must be correctly analyzed such that the approximate cost of traffic accident settlement can be estimated or recurrence prevention programs can be prepared. To this end, a method for acquiring accident-associated information is of importance. Recently, a black box, generally in the form of a camera is installed in a vehicle. The block box acting as surveillance camera, can capture images from the vicinity of the vehicle (e.g., images in front of and/or to the rear of the vehicle) and can record the same as video images to be used in judging a traffic accident fairly. As a result, images recorded in the black box or information acquired from sensors embedded into the vehicle may be used as accident history information (or significant accident history information).
However, from the viewpoint of a user who rides in a vehicle, the images stored in the black box or the stored sensor information may not include all information needed to fairly investigate the accident history information. Since images stored in the black box (hereinafter referred to as black box images) or sensor information are changed according to various viewpoints of a traffic accident scene, it is necessary for a vehicle driver to obtain not only images and information directly obtained from his or her vehicle, but also much more information obtained from other peripheral vehicles.